Filter



Aug. 26, 1941. R. N. BURCKHALTER 2,253,634 FILTER l Filed Mach 1a, 1937 2fl 50- flo- 1% A J3\ lY 39 Ew/677x071.-

. materials, when Patented Aug. 2s, 1941 I Robert Nash igan City, Ind., a

FILTER Burckhalter, signor to Michiana Products Corporation,

corporation of Indiana,

Michigan City, Ind., as- Mich- Application March 18, 1937, Serial No. 131,558 6 Claims. (Cl. 21o-131) A mass of shredded cotton or cotton waste, wool, a mixture. of wooland cotton, or cattle hair and cotton, or cattle hair and asbestos fiber, or cotton and mineral wool, or various other fibrous put under suiiicient pressure to make the mass somewhat springy while dry is .a good iilter for lubricating oil, such as commonly used in internal combustion engines, apparently because it affords plentiful passages for oil, makingit highly permeable, but has also manifold obstructions tov catch and hold entrained solid and other foreign matter. But in use the mass packs or shrinks in the direction of ilow, thereby'reduclng its permeability, and this, with the accumulation of solids'and other foreign matter at all neary the surface where the oil enters, gradually changes it from a thick or deep permeable filter y f high capacity to a thin or surface lilter of low capacity and short life.

The principal object of this invention is to prevent this transformation and preserve the original characteristics of the filter through a long period of service. This is accomplished by making the filter in layers of shredded cotton or other brous material or mixtures lying in the direction of flow and alternating with layers of friction material, such as lated metal', with the whole under suflicient pressure crosswise to the direction of flow (and therefore overcome the tendency to move under the oil pressure) to substantially prevent packing and preserve the relatively high permeable character of the original material until it becomes fairly charged with filtrate. v

Such a filter may be made in a variety of ways and shapes and from a variety of materials. The preferred form for contemporary automotive vehicles is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a lter assembly secured to the side of an engine casing, and

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on 'the line 2--2 of Fig. 1'.

But this specific illustration and the corresponding description are used for the lpurpose of disclosure only, and itis intended that the substance of the invention embodied in various other forms shall be coveredby the claims. l

The lter casing, as shown,;in cludes a cylindrical barrel I of sheet metal having upper and lower heads II and I2 crimped about the ends of the barrel, as indicated at I3, and soldered, welded, or otherwise madefast and oil-tight. The barrel is shown with 4a lapped soldered joint- I4. y

Just inside the heads II and I2 are perforated or reticulated heads I5 and I 64 concavo-convex in shape and of a diameter approximately equal to the inside diameterfof the barrel I0. These woven wire or other reticu-l f heads cooperate with the heads II and I2 to form small chambers II and I8. Between the heads I5 and I6 is the lter element composed of layers of fibrous material andwoven wire, expanded metal or such like. The fibrous mate- -rial should be selected according to the vconditions of use, and for internal combustion en-v gines, shredded cotton is preferable as a rule, though individual engineers may wish to make `use of a variety of other materials and mixtures of materials.

The filter element is really made up of several elements or sections I9, 20, 2I and 22. The sections IS and 22 are layers of shredded cotton under just sufcient vpressure to make them slightly springy. The sections 20 and 2l are rolls o r spiral layers of shredded cotton 23 and woven wire 24. They may be made by spreading out the cotton roughly in the form of a flat sheet or 1ayer,placing on top a sheet of woven wire of somewhat less lengthV and leaving practically all of the excess `length of Vcotton at one end, then placing a small amount of cotton on the wire vat the opposite end and rolling the layers into' approximately cylindrical form, as willbe best seen from the section in Fig. 2. The pressure will be about right when the mass can be inserted in the barrel with just enough force to inakeit become somewhat springy.

No actual dimensions, pressures or'materials' suitable for all uses can be given, but for a bar..- rel about four and one-quarter inches in diameter, a thickness of cotton layer of three-eighths to one-half inch will beabout right and three mesh screen made with 00 gauge of galvanized .wire has been -found satisfactory.' The lateral Apressure as well as the endwise pressure may be varied within considerable limits, but for high permeability and long life of the lter, the fibers should be ina somewhat loose' open condition tc provide, for easy flow of oil while obstructing all of the 'entrained' material. A depth of cotton of about two inches in the direction 'of flow is satisfactory, though of course, this can be varied. The fibers should be in looseenough condition to let the solid matter actually enter the mass and gradually work its way toward the outlet end..

otherwise the` permeability is correspondingly reducedl and a larger area is'required for al given iiow of oil. When solid matter begins to escape the outlet end ofthe filter, that-marks the end of usefulness of the filter and it should be replaced.

Such filters can be mounted in a great variety 1. of ways and deference will have to b e made to the desires of layout men and' engineers. In the l present instance the filter is shown on a base 25 boltedto the side of the engine casing 26.

The engine casing has an oil passageway 21 leading from the oil pump to a 'cored passage 28v in the base in communication with another oil passage in the engine casing leading to the bearings. There are also communicating oil passages 30 and 3| in the engine casing 26 and cation from thepump line 21 to the return line 30 when the desired pressure on the bearings is reached.

The base 25 has an inlet passage 36 leading from the upper end ofthe passage 28 inwardly and then upwardly to a nipple 31 surrounded by a sump 38. The wall of the sump 38 has an a disk 54 screwed or pressed in place and having an opening one-sixteenth inch in diameter, whereas the outlet passage 6I is three-eighths inch in diameter to insure a free ow back to the engine casing. Of course, with this construction, cold oil or a clogged filter element could cause a high pressure within the chamber. For that reason, a relief passage 56 connecting the inlet passage 36 with the sump 38 is provided with a ball valve 51 urged to its seat 56 by a spring 59 with just suiiicient pressure to let the valve open when the pressure in the casing I reaches about upper face 39`provided with a groove 4I) lled with packing 4I and adapted to make a seal with therim formed by turning over the edge of the lower head I2 of the filter casing. The seal is actually preserved by a clamp including b olts 42 and 43 screwed into the base and fitted into slots -in the cross bar 44 equipped With a bolt 45, Aswiveled to a cap 46 that will be pressed against the upper head II of the filter casing when the' bolt 45 is properly screwed down. An inlet tube 41 is pressed into the nipple 31 and extends through the perforated head I6 and up into the intermediate portion of the filter mass where it is slightly constricted at 4B and transversely drilled at 49 to make a free outlet foroil. The drilling 49 is intended to be at about the juncture of the units or sections 20 and 2|. The chambers I1 and I8 at each end of the i-llter casing are here shown connected by a, tube U extending through the lter element, although, of course, it may be placed elsewhere. But the arrangement shown is very convenient.

-There is an outlet passage 5| in the base 25 connecting the sump 38 with a counterbore 52 surrounding the pump limiting valve 33 and communicating with the passage 3| leading back to the return passage 30 in the engine casing.

Oil to be ltered is taken oii at the line leading to the bearings and ows in a shunt or parallel circuit. It leaves the cored passage 23 to theleft, in Fig. 1, through the passage 36 into the-tube 41 and is delivered to the middle of the filter element. There it spreads out laterally and viiows both upwardly and downwardly. The oil flowing downwardly passes through the openings in the head I6 into the chamber I8 and then 'into the sump 38. The oil flowing upwardly passes through the perforations in the head I5 into the chamber I1, then iiows through the tube 50 to the chamber IBand into the sump. From the sump the filtered oil goes out through the passage 5|, the passages 3| and 30 to the casing.

A desirable economy can be effected byma'king the iilter casing of very light material, for example, 135 pound tin plate which is about .01539 inch in thickness orapproximately 28 gauge. A casing made of that material can be bought verycheaply and serves the purpose well, provided the internal pressure is kept Within low limits. For example, in the construction described it should not exceed- 30 pounds or there is danger'of opening a seam.

In order to insure that limit of pressure within the filter casing, the inlet 36 for oil to the filter is restricted by. a disk 54 threaded or pressed position, as shown in Fig. 1;

I n this illustrative construction the inlet 36 is vin one-quarter inch in diameter and is restricted by thirty pounds. Oil will then flow from the inlet passage 36 through the relief passage 56 to the sump and prevent any further rise of pressure within the illter casing. This relief passage and valve must be distinguished from by-passes across the illter that have been heretofore used to insure a ilow of oil, even though the filter is cold or clogged,'for such passages will permit pressure to develop in the iilter casing of one hundred pounds or more, which would betoo muchv for a casing of the construction preferred for economy.

The filter shown and described can be assembled in a variety of ways. The casing can be bought with the head I2 secured to the barrel I0 and provided with one or more lateral openings 66 and a central opening 6I to receive the nipple 31. With such a sub-assembly the head I6 is first inserted, the lower section of filter mav terial I9 worked in uniformly and followed by the in place and ii' there is suillcien't iilter mass presvent-a little pressure on this head will be required to get it into position. Nine ounces of cotton waste is about the right quantity for a iilter casing four and one-half inches in diameterv and six and iive-eighths inches long. With a suitable tool, the upper end oi the tube 501s upset or bent at 62 to make it fast, the head II is then put in place, crimped over and made fast to the barrel I0 by soldering, welding or otherwise.

`An air jet pilot should be inserted through the central opening 63 in the head I6 to make a hole for the tube 41 and that hole may be preserved by inserting a pin until the filter is to be actually installed. When that is to be done the pin is withdrawn,- the lter is pushed down over the tube 41, the cap 46 is put on and the clamp is set up. The tube 41 in the opening 63 of the head I6 centers the casing on the hose and seats the runfon the packing 4|.

Due to the woven wire layers 24, the filter elements 20 and 2| will maintain their size and characteristics through a long period of service and any shrinkagein the sections I9 and 22 will -not materially change the capacity or the character of the iilter.

The arrangement permitting iiow in two directions is preferred but those favoring flow in a single direction will readily make the, necessary on said base. clamping means for removably A holding said casing on said base, illter material permanently contained within said casing for i11- tering oil for the bearings of an internal combustion engine, an inlet for said casing for conducting oil to said iilter material, an enlarged outlet for said casing for conducting the oil from said casing after the same has passed through said filter materiahan oil pressure line for conducting `oil directly from an oilreservoir to said bearings, a by-pass return conduit between said assess ated-spring pressedvalve in said liv-pass adapted oil pressure line and said reservoina relief pressure valve in said 4by-pass return conduit' and adapted to open `for shunting oil in said line back rises above a predetermined amount, an intake. passage in communication with said inlet and with said oilv pressure line, a restriction within said passage for greatly restricting the now of to said reservoir when the pressure in said line to open when the pressure within said continuous passage rises above a predetermined amount,

an intake passage for conducting oil through saidlcontinuous passage to the inlet opening of .said lter, a restriction within said intake passage having a great resistance to -ow vof pil therethrough, a relief passage for conducting oil from said intake passage to said discharge passage, said relief passage being between said filter. and said restricted passage and having a low resistance to ow of oil, aspring pressed relief valve within said relief passage for' relievin'g the pressure o f oil in said lter when the same rises above a predetermined amount.

4. In a device of the class described, a base member having intake and discharge passages rtherein, a main oil line for supplying oil to said intake passagevfrom an oil reservoir, a filter member removably mounted on said base and.

having inlet'and an outlet in communication with said inlet and discharge passages, re- A f-jspectively, said -discharge passage receiving oil' after it has passed through said iilter member open'for by-passing oil around said filter when the pressure within said lter rises above a predetermined amount, for protecting said casing against excess pressure. l

2.In a device ofthe class described, a iilter comprising 'a casing of light construction, :dlter material permanently contained within the 'casthrough for admitting oil to said iilter member and conducting the same directly to said reservoir from said filter, a disk mounted in said in-..

take passage and having a small bore theredirectly from said mainv oil line, means for reing, a base for the ilter casing, clamping means for removably securing saidfjcasing-on said base, said base having inlet and\'enlarged outlet passages for the lter casing for, conducting oil to d and from said nlter and to and from an oil reservoir in the engine casing said oil passing through 4said nlter in :dowing from said 'inlet to said outlet passages, a main oil line -for supplying lieving pressure within said main oil line, a bypass within the base between said intake and discharge passages and having a low resistance to owof oil, and a spring pressed relief valve within said base member in said by-pass, said d by-pass and relief valve being between said small t bore and said lter member whereby whenthe 'pressure within said :filter member exceeds `a predetermined amount, said valvey will open-and by-'pass oil-around said filter member without afoil to said inlet passage, means including a relief valve within said base for conducting oil fromsaid main oil line in'to said outlet passage when the pressure within said main oil line rises above a predetermined amount, means comprising a fectin'gthe pressure in said main oil line.

5. In a device of the class described, a. lter element comprising a pair of vertically spaced disk having.I a restricted aperture theretlrough within said inlet passage within said base for limiting the iow of oil to said lter casing, means,

including a by-pass within said base and a pres-- v sure relief valve within said by-pass, between said disk and filter for icy-passing oil around said lter from said inlet passage-for limiting` the pressure on the lter casing to a predetermined maximum much below that capable of being developed in said main oil line,'said by-pass having a low resistance to now of oil.

3. In an internal combustion engine having" a crank case provided with .a boss having three openings therethrough, a base having a sealing face provided with a groove therein forming with anda pipe spaced from said inlet passage and l extending entirely through said layers of fibrous' spirals of. reticulatedmetal with brous material between adjacent parts of each spiral, a

l layer of n brous material between -s'aid spirals, a

layerof brous material above and -below said 'pair of spirals, anlinlet passage terminating in thelayer of fibrous material between said spirals,

V material and spirals and having impervious walls.

6. In a device of the class described, a'base, a lter casing supported on, said base, a filter element withinsaid casing, said element comprising an upper and a lowerv section each consisting of thick layers of fibrous material alternating 2 with layers of reticulated metal arranged lengthtwo of said openings a portion of a continuous passage for conducting oil from `the crank case to the engine bearings,V a filter casing fof `light sheet metal having inlet and outlet openings at' ywise to the direction of flow through the element v and under pressure crosswise to the direction of flow through the element, an lintermediate secltion comprising a layer of fibrous material bel y sections,a layer or fibrous material resting on said upper section, a layer of brous material one end and a sealing rim seated on said sealing* beneath and in contact with the lower section,

face, meansv for'removably clamping the casing' to the base, nlter material within the casing. a. discharge passage 'within said base in communication with said outlet opening and forming with the 'third opening in said boss an enlarged discharge passage for said filter, a by-pass in' said base for conducting oil from. said continuous pasl sage to said discharge `e, a pressure operan intake tube extending from said base axially -intolsaid casing and terminating 4in the intermediate section of said illterelement, V a ltube extending entirely through the filter element latsaid casingto'said base.'

ROBERT NASH BU'l'tCKHAlZn'IERsv 

